EQ Magazine - February 2008 - (Page 78) Hard Lines ROLAND VG-99 The Future of Guitar? That’s What the Box Says . . . by Brian Murphy Quick question: Have you ever been in the middle of a session and thought “nothing would flesh out this song better than a 12string, but you didn’t have one on ” hand? Ever think to yourself, midalbum, that the next song could really use a Rickenbacker 360 to help you get that classic vibe you’ve been looking for? Ever needed the sound of an old tube amp, but you had only a solid-state combo on hand . . . or wanted a trippedout synth accompaniment, but couldn’t find a keyboardist—or even a keyboard— on short notice? The VG-99 claims to make this all possible and more, and seems clearly designed for the studio as well as the stage. But does this little box really live up to its marketing hype? Let’s explore. OVERVIEW Roland VG-99. The VG-99 is a guitar processor/USB 2.0 recording interface that uses Roland’s much-hyped COSM (Composite Object Sound Modeling) technology. If you want to read more about the COSM, we suggest you head to Roland’s website (www.rolandus.com), because we simply don’t have the real estate here to do a deep treatise on the subject of COSM. To start using the VG-99, you need either a guitar outfitted with a 13-pin jack (like a Godin) or you need to purchase Roland’s GK-3 pickup and attach that to your axe of choice (a Brian Moore MC1p.13, in my case). The VG-99 is plugand-play, but if you want to use the included cross-platform editor/librarian software, you’ll need to install some software and drivers. Also, depending on the application, in order to use the MIDI converter you may need to take advantage of the advanced driver setting, which allows using Roland’s drivers instead of your computer’s standard driver. However, for going straight into a MIDI keyboard or sound module, this isn’t necessary. After getting these basics squared away, you should find that the VG-99 makes life much, much easier for you. For those learned in the arts of guitar modeling processors, you could look at the VG-99 as a single box containing two updated VG-88s, a GI-20 MIDI converter, and two equivalent GT Pro effect processors. Working from the front end of the two channels there are numerous choices in guitars, poly FX, pedal effects, and amps . . . and any of these can be switched, combined, or layered.This is where the unit really demonstrates its power: The programmability makes the VG-99 a significant step up from previous models. APPLYING THE VG-99 The guitar selection is one area where the VG-99 really smokes.You can choose from nine electric guitars (including two Strats, Les Paul, Rickenbacker, Tele, Dano, 335, and an L4). Acoustic models include the Martin D-28, Gibson J-45, Guild D-40, banjo, sitar, dobro, and a pretty goodsounding nylon. You also have two bass models (a Fender Jazz and Precision bass). Do they sound good? They sound good. Great, even. Of the 200 presets, I found that the steel string presets sound suitably dark and warm, some of the distortion settings are downright screaming, and the 12-string and open/alternate tuning options are particularly nice for recording on the fly, or in a small studio that isn’t equipped with a million in-house guitars. Add into this the 11 synth models (including the infamous GR-300, considered by some to be the most “natural” guitar synth ever made), and you really are looking at a new world for guitarists. But as far as I’m concerned, the variable model aspect of the COSM guitars is where the real fun is. After all, the market is flooded with guitar and amp sims. What makes the variable model cool? For example, on the variable model you can place the pickups at an extreme angle, anywhere between the bridge and the 15th fret.This allows for some truly unique sounds. In short, the variable model is nearly 100 percent fully customizable—you can even choose virtual roundwound or flatwound strings. Another unique feature is the Poly Fx. As the 13-pin cable is sending audio from the six strings separately, the VG-99 can apply a compressor, distortion, octave shift, or a “slowgear” (attack delay) effect individually to each string. There are almost 100 effects pedals to choose from (the wah is particularly special, as you can change the sweep of the pedal and the tone within the custom setting), and some unusual features like Defret (to simulate a fretless guitar). Pretty rad. As a guitarist who prefers to perform live in the studio, I found using the VG99’s D-Beam feature and the Ribbon Controller especially fun to play with while tracking. For those not familiar with the D-Beam, it’s a controller with two little 78 EQ FEBRUARY 2008 www.eqmag.com http://www.rolandus.com http://www.eqmag.com
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